Emergency gasoline-supply holding device



Dec. 3, 1968 H. s. HOWARD EMERGENCY GASOLlNE-SUPPLY HOLDING DEVICE FiledFeb.

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United States Patent O "lee 3,414,015 EMERGENCY GASOLINE-SUPPLY HOLDINGDEVICE Howard S. Howard, 17 Clover Place, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10805 FiledFeb. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 524,438 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-572) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An emergency gasoline-supply holding device for an auto orthe like which is essentially a hollow tube and is mounted in the llspout or inlet of the -main gasoline tank of the auto and, in thisposition, does not interfere with the filling of the tank-the gasolinepassing through the tube-while effectively trapping, as an emergency gassupply for subsequent use, the quantity of gasoline which rises to alevel above the lower end of the tube.

The present invention relates generally to a device useful for cars andsimilar vehicles, and more particularly to a device for making availablean emergency supply of gasoline when the main gasoline supply isdepleted.

Despite the fact that most cars have gasoline gauges, it is not uncommonfor the operator thereof to occasionally run out of gasoline far from a-refueling station. Providing a emergency supply of gasoline in aseparate container is an obvious solution, but not an adequate solutionbecause of the danger of storing such a container.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide acompletely safe means for storing an emergecy supply of gasoline.Specifically, it is `an object in providing such safe gasoline storagemeans to also eleminate any hadling of the gasoline when emptying thesame into the vehicle gasoline storage tank preparatory to using thisgasoline to drive the vehicle to a station for refueling.

An emergency gasoline-supply holding device demonstrating features ofthe present invention comprises a flexible, tubular member which, inpractice, is mounted in the inlet conduit of the vehicle gasolinestorage tank. The holding device has a valve in the bottom end thereofwhich is effective, when closed, to hold a quart or other reasonableemergency quantity of gasoline as determined by the volume of the devicein storage upon the filling of the vehicle tank, inlet conduit andholding device with gasoline. When the gasoline supply of the tank andinlet conduit is subsequently depleted, the emergency supply of gasolinebeing stored within the holding device is then available to be releasedtherefrom and flows into the tank to permit the vehicle to be driven toa local station for replenishing `of the main supply of gasoline.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of a presentlypreferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded elevational view of the product of the presentinvention and a typical inlet conduit of a vehicle gasoline storagetank;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the product illustratingstructural features of the valve means in the bottom end thereof;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, in section, of the product in its mountedposition within the inlet conduit, and further illustrates the manner offilling of the vehicle gasoline storage tank through said product;

FIG. 4 is `a plan view, in section taken on line 4-4 of 3,414,015Patented Dec. 3, 1968 FIG. 3, illustrating further structural featuresof the product and also the condition thereof when filled with gasoline;

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational View, in section, of the productimmediately after the filling of the vehicle gasoline storage tank withgasoline;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG. 5 but of the bottomportion of the product, and also illustrating the condition thereof at asubsequent point in time when the gasoline supply of the vehicle hasbeen depleted; and

FIG. 7 is a partial elevational view, in section, similar to FIG. 3 Vbuton a slightly enlarged scale and illustrating the functioning of theproduct to release an emergency supply of gasoline for passage throughthe inlet conduit into the vehicle gasoline storage tank.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein there is shown a liquidholding device, generally designated 10, which according to the presentinvention is used to hold an emergency supply of gasoline for use whenthe main supply of gasoline for a vehicle has -been `inadvertentlycompletely depleted. In these circumstances, the stored quantity ofgasoline within the device 10 will enable the driver of the vehicle totravel a further distance Where, under most circumstances, he willencounter a gasoline station and be able to replenish the main supply ofgasoline. Further, since the functioning of the device 10 is releasingthis emergency supply of gasoline into vehicle gasoline storage tankrequires manipulation of the device 10 by the driver of the vehicle, thedriver of course is put on notice that he is operating only with thecomparatively small emergency quantity of gasoline and therefore willimmediately proceed to the nearest gasoline station. This emergencyquantity is dependent only on the size and thus the volume capacity ofthe device 10.

The device 10 may be employed in. all popular makes of cars, trucks andother such vehicles and only an exemplary gasoline storage tank inletconduit structure of these vehicles is shown in the drawing since thisis all that is necessary to an understanding of the functioning andconstruction of the device 10. As is generally understood, a typicalvehicle gasoline storage tank (not shown) has an inlet conduit 12appropriately connected at one end to it and this conduit has anopposite, upper inlet opening 14 in an accessible position relative tothe vehicle body 16 for flowing gasoline, by gravity, into the vehiclegasoline storage tank. The liquid holding device 10 of the presentinvention is mounted Within the inlet opening 14, being placed by handinto the inlet conduit until assuming the position illustrated in FIG.3. The device 10 has a valve means, generally designated 18, at thebottom end thereof which includes as one essential element a movablevalve 20 which when manipulated in movement is made to assume a positionblocking the flow of fluid into the tank, and in another significantposition thereof assumes a position releasing stored fluid for flow intothe tank. Connected to the valve 20 is a pull cord 22 which, at itsother end, is appropriately connected to -a cap 24 of the device. Inthis manner, the cap-end of the pull cord 22 is maintained accessibleand enables manipulation of the valve 20.

The functioning of the device 10 can best be appreciated by a comparisonof FIGS. 3, 6 and 7. FIG. 3 illustrates the manner in which a vehiclegasoline storage tank is initially lled with gasoline, such gasoline Gbeing supplied from a nozzle 26 connected to an appropriate pump or thelike and inserted into the device 10 which is then in its mountedposition Within the inlet conduit 12. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, atthis time the cap 24 is removed from the inlet opening of the device 10and thus causes the valve 20 to assume a position permitting the ilow ofgasoline through the valve means 18 and into the vehicle storage tank.Ultimately, the gasoline being supplied to the vehicle will fill thestorage tank and also the inlet conduit 12 and rise to a level above thevalve 20, which results in the device being filled with an emergencysupply of gasoline. Following this filling operation, the cap 24 isplaced in its position in the upper end of the device 10 which in turnresults in the valve 20 assuming a seated position in the valve means 18and thereby blocking the flow of the emergency quantity of gasoline fromthe device 10. This is best shown in FIG. 6.

Use of the vehicle at this time will result in a depletion of the maingasoline supply and thus a receding of the level of the gasoline Withinthe gasoline storage tank and also within the inlet conduit 12 until thecondition depicted in FIG. 6. When the entire main gasoline supply isdepleted, it is contemplated that use will be made of the holding device10 to supply the emergency quantity of gasoline to enable the car to bedriven to a gas station. To obtain the use of this emergency supply, thecap 24 is removed from the upper opening of the holding device 10 whichremoves the valve 20 from its position closing the bottom end of theholding device 10. The removal of the valve from the valve seat resultsin an obvious manner in the release of the emergency supply of gasolinebeing stored within the holding device 10 into the inlet conduit 14 forpassage into the gasoline storage tank of the vehicle. This affords thedriver of the vehicle an opportunity to move the vehicle to a gasolinestation to replenish the main supply of gasoline.

In a preferred embodiment for the holding device 10 as illustratedherein, the device has a tubular, open-ended body 28 fabricated of apliable plastic so that during insertion thereof into the inlet conduit14, the body 28 readily assumes the shape of the inlet conduit. That is,the tubular body 28 will bend, as at 30 (see FIG. 3), to accommodateitself to a bend in the inlet conduit 12. At the upper end 32 of thebody 28 there is a threaded section 34 which cooperates with thethreaded section 36 of the cap 24. Circumferentially spaced hooks 38 areappropriately attached about the upper body end 32 and engage the lip ofthe inlet opening 14 of the inlet conduit 12 to prevent movement of theholding device 10 too far into the inlet conduit 12.

The valve means 18 is provided in the bottom or outlet end 40 of theholding device 10. The valve means 18 in addition to the valve 20 havingthe attached pull cord 22, includes a cylindrical member 42 threadablyadjustable, as at 44, in a threaded counter bore in the bottom or outletopening 40. A closed end 46 of the member 42 has a plurality of openings48 therein, including a central opening for the pull cord 22, throughwhich it is possible -for liquid to flow through the outlet opening ofthe valve means 18. Threadably adjusted in the open end of thecylindrical member 42 is a second cylindrical member 50 having a valveopening 52 in an end Wall 53 thereof. The valve opening 52 isappropriately chamfered to provide the valve seat 54 which facilitatesthe centering of the valve 20 over the valve opening 52 when it isdesired to close the outlet end 40 of the holding device 10 of fluid owinto the gasoline storage tank.

Completing the construction of a preferred embodirnent of the holdingdevice 10 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinalgrooves 56 in the outer surface of the tubular body 28 which providesproper venting of fumes from the gasoline storage tank.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims Ibeconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. An emergency gasoline-supply holding device for a vehicle comprising,in combination, a vehicle gasoline storage tank, an inlet conduitconnected to said storage tank for flowing gasoline by gravity into saidstorage tank, and a huid-holding device having an operative positionmounted in the upper end of said inlet conduit, said device having ahollow tubular body defining an `auxiliary storage chamber through whichgasoline is passed into said storage tank, valve means in the lower endof said tubular body for selectively closing-off said auxiliary storagechamber when said vehicle storage tank and said inlet conduit thereofare llled with a volume of gasoline resulting in the level thereofrising above said valve means, and valve-opening means connected at oneend to said valve means and at its opposite end accessible at the upperend of said fluid-holding device and adapted, when manipulated at saidaccessible end, to open said valve means to release a quantity ofgasoline being stored within said auxiliary storage chamber for gravityow into said storage tank to replenish the supply of gasoline therein.

2. An emergency gasoline-supply holding device `as defined in claim 1wherein said tubular body is fabricated of a pliable plastic so as toconform in shape to the shape of said inlet conduit duirng thepositioning of said tubular body within said inlet conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 845,804 3/1907 Martin 15S-46.52,971,576 2/1961 Anker 15S- 46.5 3,129,747 4/1964 Warner 158-4653,270,797 9/1966 McLeod et al. 15S-46.5

FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner

